St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
St. Joseph North Pier Inner Light
St. Joseph North Pier Outer Light

Pictured in 2008
St. Joseph North Pier Inner Light St. Joseph North Pier Outer Light Location in Michigan
Location	St. Joseph / Benton Harbor, Michigan
Coordinates	42°06′58″N 86°29′36″W / 42.11611°N 86.49333°W / 42.11611; -86.49333
Year first lit	Outer: 1906; Inner: 1907
Foundation	Pier
Construction	Outer: Cast iron; Inner: Steel
Tower shape	Outer: Cylindrical; Inner: Octagonal
Markings / pattern	Outer: Black/white; Inner:Red/black/white
Height	Outer: 35 feet (11 m); Inner: 57 feet (17 m)
Focal height
Original lens	Outer: Fifth order Fresnel lens; Inner: Fourth order
Range	Outer: 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi); Inner: 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi)
Characteristic	Outer: Fl W 2.5s; Inner: Iso W 2s
ARLHS number	Outer: USA-798; Inner: USA-797
USCG number	Outer: 7-19515; Inner: 7-19520

The St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights are two important lighthouses in Michigan. They stand at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, where it meets Lake Michigan. The very first lighthouse here was built in 1832. The lighthouses you see today were built much later, in 1906 and 1907. They were turned off in 2005 but have since been restored.

History of the St. Joseph Lighthouses

The town of St. Joseph was first planned out in 1829. The very first lighthouse was built on the shore in 1832. Work on the harbor piers, which are like long docks, started in 1836. By 1848, a special light was placed on the pier to guide ships.

In 1859, the original onshore lighthouse was replaced with a new one. Then, in 1870, a new light was built on the south pier. This light was moved to the north pier in 1881. In 1897, another light was put up 400 feet closer to shore. This light helped ships line up correctly, acting as a "rear range light."

In 1904, the pier was made longer. Because of this, the two guiding lights were moved further out into the lake. The lighthouses you see today were built in 1906 and 1907.

The lighthouse built in 1859 was used until 1919. At that time, a new tower was built on the south pier. The 1859 lighthouse was taken down in 1955.

In 2008, the north pier lighthouses were no longer needed by the government. In 2013, the city of St. Joseph took ownership of them. A group was formed in 2014. They raised $2 million from people who wanted to help. This money was used to fully fix up the lighthouses. The project to save these important lights was finished in 2016.

Lighthouses on a Postage Stamp

On June 17, 1995, the United States Postal Service honored these lighthouses. They put the St. Joseph lights on a special postage stamp. This stamp was part of their Great Lakes Lighthouses series.

What the Lighthouses Look Like

The front lighthouse (also called the outer light) is made of steel. It is shaped like a cone, getting narrower towards the top. It is about eight feet wide at the bottom and seven feet wide at the top. On top, there is a nine-sided room where the light shines from. This tower is 30 feet tall. It used to have a special lens called a Fifth-Order Barbier and Benard lens. This lens made a steady red light.

The rear lighthouse (also called the inner light) is a square steel building. It is 24 feet wide on each side and has a pointed roof. On top of the roof, there is an eight-sided tower. This tower rises two stories above the main building. At the very top, there is a round room for the light. This room has spiral bars and a black iron walkway around it.

This tower originally had a Fourth-Order lens made by Chance Brothers. This lens also produced a steady red light. Later, this lens was replaced with a different Fourth-Order Fresnel lens. This new lens was made by a company called Sautter & Cie.

A long walkway, called a catwalk, connects the second story of this lighthouse to the shore. A tall pipe, called a smokestack, was taken off the tower in 1949. Another smokestack was added back in 2016.

Gallery

• Geographic Names Information System: Outer light Inner light